Charles in Israel visit e-mail row

Tuesday 16 January 2007 00:11 BST

The Prince of Wales is involved in a diplomatic row over leaked e-mails in which his senior aides voiced serious concerns about accepting an offer to visit Israel.

In a series of e-mails seen by the Jewish Chronicle, the Prince's principal private secretary Sir Michael Peat and deputy private secretary Clive Alderton discuss an invitation to visit Israel for four days as guests of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

The proposed visit was seen as a prelude to a possible visit by the Prince, which would have been the first state visit by a British royal to Israel.

The Chronicle reports Sir Michael is initially enthusiastic about the invitation, but later Mr Alderton seeks reassurance from his superior that the offer need not be accepted.

In an e-mail from Sir Michael to then Israeli ambassador Zvi Heifetz, copied to Mr Alderton, he wrote: "The invitation is hugely appreciated and Clive and I would love to come."

But in a later e-mail to Sir Michael, the newspaper reports Mr Alderton writes: "Safe to assume there is no chance of this visit ever actually happening?

"Acceptance would make it hard to avoid the many ways in which Israel would want HRH (Charles) to help burnish its international image. In which case, let's agree a way to lower his expectations."

Jeremy Newmark, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, told the Jewish Chronicle: "The tone of the e-mail is deeply unfortunate."

A spokeswoman for the Prince said: "This is simply an internal e-mail about a possible visit by Clarence House officials to Israel.

"Any potential visit by the Prince of Wales would be undertaken at the recommendation of the Government."